The Shiv Sena has sacked two office bearers of the party’s Thane unit after a video surfaced of some people dancing and showering currency notes in front of a photo of late Anand Dighe, the political guru of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The incident took place during the Ganesh festival on September 12.
In a video, some local party workers are seen dancing and showering money in front of Dighe’s photo at the Anand Ashram, from where Dighe ran the Shiv Sena’s Thane unit. The clip of this video later went viral on social media.
Chief Minister Shinde and Thane MP Naresh Mhaske expressed their displeasure over the incident and called it ‘extremely unpleasant’. They said that this incident is contrary to the respectful manner in which Dighe used to celebrate such festivals.
According to the order issued by Mhaske on Saturday night, two party officials have been sacked in this case. The order did not mention the posts of the sacked officials. Shinde’s party stressed the need for restrained conduct during such gatherings.
How far has the seat sharing reached?
With only a few months left for the assembly elections in Maharashtra, state Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that the seat sharing among the allies of the ruling Mahayuti will be finalised ‘soon’.
BJP’s Maharashtra unit president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, too, in his comments on the pre-poll arrangement, said the ruling alliance’s formula on seat-sharing has been finalised in “almost 70-80 per cent” (288) assembly constituencies. He said the Mahayuti’s agreement will be reached much before the main rival opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The Mahayuti (grand alliance) comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). When asked about the seat sharing among the Mahayuti allies and its formal announcement, Fadnavis told reporters in Pune, “The seat sharing formula will be finalised soon.”
He did not give any further details about how complex the issue would be.